Toilet tank flush valve ball



Jan. 15, 1957 A. w. HARKNESS 2,777,135

TOILET TANK FLUSH- VALVE BALL Filed Nov. 50, 1953 F ig./

i as

Andrew W. Har/mess IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent A TOILET TANK FLUSH VALVE BALL 'Andrew W.Harkness, South Glens Falls, N. Y.

Application November 30, 1953, Serial No. 394,995 1 Claim. (Cl. 4-56) This invention relates to a toilet tank flush valve ball and more specifically provides a novel construction of the valve ball with improved means for connecting the valve ball to a lift means.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved tank flush valve ball wherein a member is embedded in the center portion of the ball in spaced relation to the outer circumference of such ball.

A further object of this invention is to provide a flush tank valve ball constructed of rubber-like material and including a novel means for attaching the ball valve to a flexible connecting member.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a toilet tank flush valve ball which is simple in construction, easy to assemble, long wearing and inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a toilet tank with portions broken away showing the arrangement of the valve ball on the valve seat;

Figure 2 is a transverse, vertical section taken substantially on section line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the details of construction of the valve ball and the embedded member therein;

Figure 3 is a fragmental section similar to Figure 2 showing a modified form of attachment between the connecting means and the valve ball;

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view showing the embedded member per se;

Figure 5 is a fragmental detail section similar to Figure 3 showing yet another modified form of embedded member in the valve ball; and,

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view showing the embedded member of Figure 5 and the manner of attachment of the flexible connecting member.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that the numeral 10 generally designates the valve ball of this invention for selective engagement with a valve seat 12 in the bottom of a toilet flush tank 14. The tank 14 includes the usual pivotal lift means 16 having an operating handle 18 on the outside of the tank 14 in a conventional manner. The valve seat 12 is connected to the bottom of the tank 14 by the conventional fastening means 20 and a discharge conduit 22 is connected to the valve seat 12 and an inlet pipe 24 is connected to the tank 14 in an obvious manner. All of the above structure is conventional in the flush tank.

The valve ball 10 includes a generally spherical mem ber 26 of suitable sponge rubber or other plastic material and the ball 10 is connected to the lift means 16 by a suitable stainless steel flexible wire 28 having a waterproof nylon covering 30 thereon. The covering 2,777,135 Y Patented Jan. 15, 1957 ICC 30 may be of any suitable plastic or the like wherein the wire 28 is protected from the water. The wire member 28 and the covered member 30 extend downwardly along the vertical center line of the spherical member 26 and includes an enlarged knot 32 at its bottom end in spaced relation to the bottom of the spherical member 26. The wire 28 and covering 30 then proceed upwardly at substantially a 45 angle to a point on a horizontal diameter at the side of the spherical member 26. The member 28 is knotted at 34 in spaced relation to the outer circumference of the spherical member 26- and proceeds horizontally along a diameter of the spherical member 26 and terminates in an enlarged knot portion 36 in spaced relation to the outer circumference of the spherical member 26. It will be understood that this particular arrangement provides sufiicient frictional holding power for securely retaining the lifting wire 28 attached to the spherical ball 26. The upper end of the lifting wire 28 is passed through an aperture in the lifting lever 16 and knotted on its top as generally indicated by the numeral 38.

Referring now specifically to Figures 3 and 4, it will be seen that the spherical member 26 has a U-shaped member 40 embedded therein substantially adjacent the bottom of the ball 26 and the bight portion of the U- shaped member 40 is provided with an aperture 42 for receiving the steel wire 28 and the covering member 30. The remote end of the steel wire 28 is knotted at 44 to retain the wire 28 connected to the bight of the U-shaped member 40 and securely connected to the spherical member 26. It will be seen that the U -shaped member 40 provides adequate frictional resistance to prevent the wire 28 from being pulled out of the spherical ball 26.

Referring now specifically to Figures 5 and 6, it will be seen that a rectangular metallic member 46 is embedded in the spherical member 26 adjacent the upper end thereof and a horizontal aperture 48 is positioned in the member 46 substantially at its center point. The aperture 48 receives the wire 28 and covering 30 and a suitable knot 50 is tied to retain the wire 28 attached to the embedded member 46 thereby assuring a positive connection between the spherical ball 26 and the wire 28.

It will be seen that each of the embedded members provides frictional resistance to the wire member 28 being torn out of the spherical ball 26 thereby providing a long wearing and long lasting valve ball.

From the foregoing construction, the operation and advantages of the device will be readily understood. In each instance the wire 28 is provided with an enlarged portion which is embedded in the spherical ball 26 which prevents the pulling out of the wire from the ball 26 while in operation. It further will be seen that in each instance, the wire 28 does not extend completely through the ball 26 thereby preventing the possibility of water leaking around the wire 28 down through the ball and out through the discharge 22. The covering on the wire may be made of any suitable material which is waterproof in nature and the wire itself may be constructed of stainless steel braided material which is extremely flexible and kink proof and otherwise possessing those characteristics acceptable in this tank assembly. Obviously, the Wire 28 may be constructed of any material meeting the desired specifications and the spherical ball 26 may be constructed of any well known sponge type rubber or other plastic meeting the requirements for the valve ball. Further, it will be understood that the valve ball of this invention may be used in conjunction with any existing flush tank 14 and the particular size of the wire 28 and the ball 26 may be determined for the individual needs.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device'will be readily understood and further ex- 3 planation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will "readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact constrllctiqn shown and described, and accordingly all suitable" modifications and eqniil alents' may be resorted to, falling Within the so" at mean pended claim. 1

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A teilet tank flush valve ball edinprising a sphere of resilient material for selective sealing engagemenpwim tion thereby preventing detachment of the flexible mamher, said flexible member terminating in a pair of integral extensions extending diametrically of the sphere,

said extensions being arranged in perpendicular relaand provided with enlarged knots at remote ends of one of said extensions, said enlarged knots being disposed closely adjacent the surface of the sphere.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,261,378 Friesleben Apr. 2, 1918 1,309,507 Bubb July 8,, 1919 1,744,491 Mullen Ian. 21, 1930 1,767,021 Taylor J1me 24, 1930 A, Co9k -a .a -L--:J- QAQ- June 4, 2,599,940 Rickena June 10, 1952 

